2012 NCAA Football Features

Each Monday, WhatIfSports.com's NCAA college football simulation engine will provide you with game predictions for every D-1 FBS game that upcoming week. The college football simulation engine generates detailed information for each game including each team's chances of winning (Win%) and the average points scored for both teams. Make sure to share the college football information you gained here with your friends by either checking out our NCAA football widgets on the WhatIf To Go page or clicking on the social networking share bar at the top and bottom of this article.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of college football simulations are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth charts and statistically based player rankings. Roster modifications are made in cases of injury or suspension and those players are removed from their team's game simulation for that week.

Game of the Week: Texas vs. Oklahoma

The Red River Rivalry (say it five times fast, I'll wait) returns for its 107th installment. The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners both enter the game with one loss and BCS bowl game aspirations far from a certainty.

Mack Brown's boys are coming off a tough loss to West Virginia at home, 48-45. There's little doubt that the Longhorns can score points at a rapid rate. Their 46.8 points per game is the sixth-most in the country. However, with the potent offense comes a defense that mimics a sieve. Over their last three games, the Longhorns have allowed 31 or more points (Ole Miss, OK State and Geno Smith's Mountaineers). Texas ranks 86th in the country in rush defense behind Texas State and 56th in pass defense behind Virginia. The defense is helping put the “burnt” in burnt orange.

It's not all bad; David Ash has thrown for over 1,200 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception. Texas boasts a three-headed monster in the backfield with Joe Bergeron, Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Gray all with over 240 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.

Bob Stoops' Sooners were thinking BCS title before the season started, but Kansas State emerged as an early-season roadblock to that goal. The Wildcats outscored OK 14-6 in the fourth quarter en route to the upset win. Three turnovers by the Sooners ultimately cost them the game.

There were also some whispers for Landry Jones as a top Heisman candidate heading into the season, but those have evaporated – mostly because of Geno Smith – but 1,032 passing yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions don't garner a lot of attention either. Damien Williams is averaging 7.8 yards per rush with five touchdowns through the first four games.

The Sooners are 59th in rush defense, but ninth in pass defense, which will force Ash into his stiffest test of the season.

We simulated the Sooners and Longhorns and Oklahoma comes away with the win 52.5 percent of the time by an average score of 26-23.

Please note: The Oregon State-BYU and Stanford-Notre Dame games were resimulated on 10/10 to account for injuries to Oregon State's Sean Mannion and Stanford's Ty Montgomery.